cultivating wellness with essential oils

Essential Oils For Pregnancy

With so many limitations on what a pregnant woman can use to feel and stay well, essential oils can be a fantastic avenue to wellness. You certainly need to be educated and know which oils are safe to use and how to use them-which is why you are probably here! Welcome! First of all, I’m very picky about the quality of the oils I use. Young Living has a rigorous standard called Seed to Seal ensuring that their essential oils are 100% pure therapeutic grade. I would not be using them on my body or my baby otherwise. Why? Because I want to know that the essential oils I’m using are not adulterated with other synthetic ingredients. I have learned that not all essential oils are created equal.

As with all things relating to pregnancy, have an open discussion with your midwife or OB about your use of essential oils! What you will also find is that essential oils are incredibly multifaceted in what they can do. If you do some research you will quickly learn that each oil has many different properties making them useful for your whole family, even after pregnancy!

There are some oils that are contraindicated in pregnancy. Some are safe, and in fact encouraged, during labor because they support uterine activity, potentially helping labor along. (More to come on how to use essential oils during your labor soon!)

First Trimester

During the first trimester, it’s a good idea to stick to oils that are familiar and fresh like Lavender, Citrus Fresh Blend, or Lemongrass. Always start low and go slow. During pregnancy, your sense of smell is really heightened, so it’s a good idea to start with a lower amount of essential oil. It’s also good to ensure you have a way of “turning off” the fragrance if it becomes overwhelming. This could mean gently inhaling directly from the essential oil bottle then capping it off or using a diffuser that can be turned off if needed.

Your skin is also at an increased level of sensitivity during this time, so always dilute your oils and test a small amount on your forearm before using elsewhere.

Common first trimester discomforts can be alleviated by snacking on small amounts of food often throughout the day and drinking water. Sea bands provide pressure to a acupressure points that may alleviate nausea. I used them every day of my first trimester! I also loved eating organic ginger chews as well when I felt a little queasy!

Peppermint

Always keep peppermint on hand. This could be helpful to inhale in the morning and as needed throughout the day. Apply to wrists as needed.

You can also ingest peppermint vitality by placing one drop on your tongue or placing one drop on a tea bag while drinking hot tea.

DiGize

Young Living makes a fantastic blend called Digize that supports your digestive system. A key ingredient is ginger. I like to add 25 drops to a roller bottle and fill the rest with fractionated coconut oil. Then I rub the roller onto my abdomen as often as needed. Inhaling this oil can also be helpful.

You can also add DiGize Vitality to your beverage of choice to support digestion.

Second Trimester

We all know that fatigue in pregnancy is a very. real. thing. That’s why exercise is so beneficial for not only maintaining wellness and for preparing the body for birthing, but also to produce natural energizing endorphins! En-R-Gee blend, Orange or Jade Lemon can help you get motivated to get on your feet and move! Try diffusing one or all of these oils to create an energizing atmosphere.

Lemon Vitality

Lemon Vitality is a great addition to your ice water or tea for supporting healthy baby growth! It also supports a healthy immune system. And now that you are responsible for two immune systems, you better start drinking your lemon vitality water!

Eucalyptus & R.C.

Eucalyptus or R.C. Blend (which has 3 different types of Eucalyptus plants in it) are fantastic oils to use when you want to breathe deep and easy. I love to take a warm shower (not too hot, pregnant mama! That can make you dizzy!) and plug the drain. Then I put 2-3 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil in the bottom and take slow deep breaths through my nose.

Lavender

Lavender diluted in coconut oil could be fantastic to rub on your lower back as your belly grows.

Sprinkle some on your pillow at night to promote a restful night’s sleep!

Peppermint

Peppermint continues to be useful! You’ll see just how amazing this oil is, even in labor. This is a good oil to dilute in coconut oil and rub on your lower back as needed. It could also be an energizing oil for you to inhale on days when your feet are dragging.

Gentle Baby

This soothing blend is useful in so many ways. Mix 10-15 drops in a small jar of coconut oil to rub on your growing belly and breasts daily.

This oil will also come into play for your perineum later on and will be useful for breastfeeding and for your baby too!

Third Trimester

If you aren’t blessed with the lovely pregnancy glow, then you might find that adding some essential oils to your all natural face moisturizer helps to support healthy looking skin. Some that would be good for skin health include Purification and Lavender.

White Angelica

This is a great oil to boost self esteem when you begin feeling like a doorway is a tight squeeze. 🙂 This oil is also incredible for promoting a good night’s rest for babies. I use it every night in my daughter’s diffuser!

Lavender & Peace&Calming

Promote a restful night’s sleep by diffusing either or both of these oils at night, rubbing them on the bottoms of your feet or sprinkling some on your pillow.

These oils can also help calm your mind as you begin to feel anxious for pregnancy to be over.

Gentle Baby

Hello, perineal massage! This oil is so soothing to the skin and can be helpful to incorporate into your perineal massage routine starting at 37 weeks!

When you hit 37 weeks, as you near the end of your third trimester, that is a good time to begin using oils to promote healthy birthing. Don’t use these oils before 37 weeks.

Clary Sage

Stick to diffusing or gently inhaling clary sage until you begin active labor. It will help prime your birthing body to do its thing once labor starts. Then at that point you can topically apply it.

Frankincense

Diffuse to promote a calming atmosphere and instill confidence as you near birth.

Rub along abdomen diluted in carrier oil and on lower back to help prime body for baby time.

Helichrysum

This is one of those must-have oils in general, but it’s also great at preparing your perineum for birth.

Combine 15-20 drops of Helichrysum to 2 quarter size amounts of fractionated coconut oil and massage on the perineum every night starting at 37 weeks.

Many of these oils that I mentioned in this article come in an incredible starter kit that Young Living specially designed for everyday use of essential oils. It comes with a practically free diffuser and 11 different oils. If you are considering incorporating essential oils into your life than there has never been a better time. As I mentioned before every oil has many different uses. We use them for all things in our home from cleaning, diet, wellness, etc. Our home is completely free of harmful endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and we have never felt better. Here is what it includes:

Recent Posts

DISCLAIMER: Please note that Mama Tea Tree is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice. Mama Tea Tree readers should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider, specific tests, physicians, procedures, opinions, or other qualified medical information. You should consult with any aromatherapist about essential oil usage and always inform your primary care physician what you are using as they may not be conducive with his/her prescribed therapy and medications. Information and statements regarding our products have not been evaluated by the FDA.